Israel has deployed hundreds of soldiers and the air force in what is being described as the biggest attack since 2002 on the northern part of the occupied West Bank. At least nine people have been killed, with four killed in an Israeli attack on the Far’a refugee camp and two killed in Jenin. In addition, three others were killed when an Israeli drone struck their vehicle in a nearby village.
The Red Crescent Society has reported difficulties in reaching injured individuals due to Israeli forces preventing ambulances from entering the area. The military operation reportedly involved hundreds of soldiers and had been planned for weeks.
This attack is seen as part of a longer-term Israeli strategy to ethnically cleanse the Palestinian territory, with over 650 Palestinians killed by Israeli soldiers and settlers in recent months. Palestinian armed groups have retaliated, with the al-Quds Brigades and Qassam Brigades engaging in violent clashes with Israeli forces in the Nur Shams and Jenin refugee camps.
Middle East political analyst Omar Baddar noted that the attack in the West Bank coincides with international attention on Israel’s actions in Gaza, allowing Israel to escalate in the West Bank. This recent escalation in violence only adds to the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, with casualties mounting on both sides.
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